May 2013

Letter from the President – May 2013
by Paul Robear

Greetings from Cuyamungue!

One aspect of the Cuyamungue Institute’s mission statement is preserving the land of the Institute as an environmental and spiritual sanctuary. Every decision Felicitas made included balancing the teaching of the ritual postures at CI while protect the delicate resources of the land. Currently, we are putting a significant effort into the maintaining, upgrading and adding to our facilities here at the Cuyamungue Institute. These facilities have supported hundreds of workshops and thousands of students over the years and we are committed to protect, maintain, and expand this magical gathering place now and for the future.

In 2014 we will host a Centennial Conference and Celebration on the summer solstice. It will be the 100th anniversary of Felicitas’ arrival on this planet. We want to mark the year with a special, international event at Cuyamungue to honor her life and work. Plans include presentations, daily rituals, group postures experiences. In a community setting we will focus on healing, and create a powerful community circle, with ceremonial activities tailor-made for a this occasion. There is no better way to honor Felicitas on this centennial than to use this event to fulfill her mission of protecting this land. Therefore, 100% of all revenue collected during this event will go directly into a “Preserving the Land Fund”. The maintenance of our facilities and 280 acres of land are crucial to preserve this amazing sanctuary for future generations. Much more information to come as we continue to develop the details for this event. Stay tuned.

Our summer workshop season at Cuyamungue has arrived. Take a look at our full schedule of workshops, find the right one for you, and come adventure with us! Please contact us if you have any questions.

Please take a moment to review the news, articles and experiences shared below:

In this issue:

Article: Felicitas D, Goodman Autobiography

Article: Report – International Society for Shamanic Research in Warshaw Poland, by John Pilch

“An account that is not structured around a value judgment is worthless,” contended a Viennese psychiatrist some years ago. She was listening in on a story I related from my fieldwork in Yucatán. I no longer remember what raised the ire of the doctor only that it prompted me to weigh critically exactly how I seemed to perceive and report the events confronting me. It seems to mean that in a mysterious way, I was born to be a mirror, receiving images and then reflecting them, modifying them only to the extent to which the special composition of the mirroring surface tinted the image received… Continue to Full Article

Report for International Society for Shamanistic Research – Warshaw Poland by John J. Pilch Ph.D

Here is Dr. Pilch’s in-depth report for the International Society for Shamanic Research in Warshaw Poland entitled “Religious Ecstatic Trance with the Singing Shaman”

… Dr. Felicitas Goodman first saw this posture in a woodcarving from a Northwest Coast fisherman dating from around the 19th century. Further research revealed that the posture seems to have been known on the island of Crete 5,000 years ago, since such a figurine is preserved there in the Heraklion Museum. Goodman named the posture “the Singing Shaman.” It has been found on material remains in Alaska, Crete, Siberia, Central America, Melanesia, and New Guinea among other places dating between 500 B.C. to 1300 A.D. (Goodman 1990: 144-145; Gore 1995:272-277). Thus it is basically known throughout the world… Continue to full Article

Experience – Calling the Spirits by Isabela Victoria Diaz

Editor’s Note: We received the letters on a regular basis from people who want to share their experiences . It is thrilling for us to receive communication from people around the world about their practice, and how they found this work. From time-to-time we share some of these experiences with our newsletter subscribers. Here, we want to thank Isabela Victoria Diaz for writing us, and for permission to share her insightful description of her experiences and impact on her life.

… My body very subtly began to rotate in a clockwise comforting movement…small, even and gentle and I got the vision of many standing in a cave or room or circle gathered together all rotating as if one cauldron being mixed into One with the Universe and almost felt that this process they did together was an intricate part of creating something together..they were the cauldron so to speak with the Universe. I then felt heat, a kind a heat I am familiar with when a Higher Spirit is present then a welling up from my feet traveling up my body of euphoric energy and then a “crying heart” feeling of “going home”, as if I was in the space with them all doing this together as one…in this time while back in the time they existed… Continue to Full Article

Thank You! We Met Our Goal of a $5,000 Matching Donation!

Thank you to everyone who contributed to matching donation program sponsored by Gerry and Barbara Clow. Thanks to all of YOU we reached our $5,000 matching donation goal which means a total of $10,000 was raised! We appreciate your continued support of the Cuyamungue Institute.

Your contribution directly supports the mission of the Institute, for preservation and continuing research of cultural knowledge and experiences reflected in the artwork of ancient societies. Ongoing research and new applications of our work with Ritual Body Postures is only possible because of donations made by people like you. Your financial support is crucial to the long term health of this work as well as supporting the land of the Institute as the hub of our worldwide community.

Thank you again for all who contributed. We am glad to be able to count on you as a valued member of our community of supporters from all over the world.

2014 marks the 100th anniversary of Felicitas’ arrival on this planet. We want to mark the year with a special, international event at Cuyamungue to honor her life and work, welcoming all cultures, languages and including all those around the world who are carrying on her legacy. We will come together, both in person and via the Internet, to share stories of Felicitas and what her work means to us. This event is open to all, and we would your encourage your participation. Space is limited… continue to more Information

Invest in yourself! Here is the 2013 workshop schedule at the Cuyamungue Institute.

June 20 – 23: Solstice Celebration: Initiatory Training Workshop – Paul Robear and Laura Lee. A powerful, compacted introduction to this work. You will be introduced to a succession of trance experiences and initiation. Enjoy the power of the group experience. More Information

July 6: Cuyamungue Explorers Club – This is an afternoon gathering for those who are familiar with the practice of the Cuyamungue Method and want to participate in new posture research and verification. Hosted by Paul Robear and Laura Lee. Contact Paul Robear

July 18 -21: From Spirit through Art: Express Your Creative Genius.:Jackie Haworth, Stephanie Stephens, Rae LeCompte. The need for ecstasy is as imperative as the need for food. Civilizations of antiquity were aware of this and the postures seen in ancient art are doorways into ecstasy. This workshop will use those postures to open a creative avenue from deep within each of us. Write a poem, sing, dance draw, sculpt, act…explore, following whatever path the postures reveal for you. Then we will come together and weave a tapestry of art acknowledging our place in the universe. Join us for what we know will be a powerful experience. Through art, we acknowledge the vision and gifts received from Spirit, enjoying the flow of bountiful creativity. More Information

August 22 – 25: Authentic Movement & Ecstatic Postures – Bat-Sheva Koren – Authentic Movement creates a space where one can be present in PURE consciousness in the process of transitioning from stillness to movement and back. Holding a Ritual Body Posture facilitated by a rhythm opens an entry into the realm of the Spirit. Both guide our journey to a place where the role of the witness and the mover in the experience may be revealed. If one chooses to listen, the Spirit may guide the experiencing of the alternate reality as complementary to the daily one. Contact Bat-Sheva

August 28 – September 1: Masked Trance Dance – Paul Robear, Laura Lee. Adventure into the depth of inspiration and intuitive guidance as we make masks, costumes, and our experiences will create a mythic story and end in a creation a sacred dance . Contact Paul Robear

September 4- 8: Instructor Training and Certification – Belinda Gore and Paul Robear. How to teach the safe and simple six-step process, known as the Cuyamungue Method. Contact Belinda

September 12 – 15:Gathering of the Grandmothers– Susan Bannister. A retreat for the “Grandmothers” (60 and up) of Cuyamungue. Following in the footsteps of Dr. Goodman, this is an opportunity for us as grandmothers to gather to share in the wisdom tradition of women elders. Contact Susan Bannister

October 3 – 6: First Annual Men’s Conclave – Paul Robear. The time has come for the men of the institute to gather and share the power of the Cuyamungue Method as a group. This will the first time in the history of the Institute that an all male event will be conducted at the Institute. Email me directly at [email protected] for more information.

Want to more information? Email us and we will answer your questions and connect you directly with the workshop instructor(s).

Retrieving the Powers of The Ecstatic Experience,
July 11 -14, 2013 – Millheim, PA More Information

We need your support! The Cuyamungue Institute, like many non-profit organizations, has limited resources. We are proud of the scope of work we have already accomplished, but this is just the beginning — there is much more to do! Here’s how you can participate:

Be a Volunteer – Ask about existing, on-going projects you can help with. Or suggest projects that you can work on, fund, or both!

Attend workshops at the Institute – Bless yourself and the Institute. CI Workshop fees directly support maintenance of the land and buildings.

Personal Donations – 100% of your donations and gifts go directly to the Institute, and are tax deductible.

Corporate Donations – Your company can have a tremendous impact. Ask us how we can bring our work to your visionaries and leaders!

Also consider making a donation by clicking here. Ongoing research and new applications of this work is only possible with donations made by people like you. Laura Lee, our Director of Outreach and Development, is available to answer your questions and to provide more information. Contact her at [email protected]

Thanks for reading! Please forward this to your friends and acquaintances who will enjoy learning more about us — and please let me hear from you! I am most happy answer andy and all questions about the Institute or the Cuyamungue Method. We welcome all correspondence. Email me directly at [email protected] .